Welcome to the Piano World Piano ForumsOver 2.5 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

A friend have trouble to unglue mortise bushings on an old NY Steinway.

He state that the glue stay sticky / tacky (he use acetone to moisten the bushings I believe) difficult to clean.

Any one meet that problem ?

I lately use a mix of aceton, alcohol and water to unglue the cloths when they are glued with PVCE glue, as often, it works after 2 or 3 passes and does not close the wood as when moisture is used (no stain, also)

But on a rubber like cement ? I thought of mineral spirit mixed with aceton, never had that problem in fact...

Thanks for your ideas

Last edited by Kamin; 11/02/1205:54 AM.

Professional of the profession. Foo Foo specialistI wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!

Naphtha (gasoline, lighter fluid) should dissolve rubber cement, if that is what it is. Just be sure to have PLENTY of ventilation. The vapors are extremely explosive and may also contain benzene, a carcinogen. (I used to work on oil tankers…)

Jeff DeutschlePart-Time TunerWho taught the first chicken how to peck?

Oh, I'm right here, Jeff, and I did read the question earlier, but I hadn't responded yet, because I'm really not sure what type of glue we're talking about here. I don't want to dish out inappropriate advice to someone working on a Steinway.

Some questions / comments:

... The NY S&S might be old, but are the bushings original? If they are, would that make it some form of collagen glue?... Isaac said it may be PVC-E. Then a solvent such as acetone or MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) should work to soften the glue, because that's what they use to "solvent weld" PVC. Another option would be THF, but that's not generally available to the public.... What do you mean by "rubber like" and "rubber cements", Isaac? From what I read, rubber cement would not at all be suitable for gluing bushings into key mortises. It is easily peeled off the surface.... If it's some type of PVA glue (carpenter's glue), to my mind that's a problem. I've heard of acetone, ether, and organics [Edit: aromatics] (benzene, toluene) being used, but haven't tried this myself.... If it's contact cement, acetone, MEK or lacquer thinners may work.

Chances are that solvents might soften a cured synthetic glue, but not truly dissolve it. So it would still have to be scraped from the wood.

Sorry, I can't be more specific (and wouldn't have joined the thread at all if I wasn't summoned ).

Last edited by Mark R.; 11/02/1208:53 AM. Reason: correction as indicated in post

Hello, I apologize not being able to be more specific, as I asked for a friend, who was experiencing difficulties with the glue hard to soften, staying tacky even when moistened.

But the general conversation was useful anyway.

I just took off cloths from a Yamaha C3 with a mix of commonly availeable products: acetone; water and alcohol.

No heat, no wall paper remover, no acetic acid (because of the stain it leaves on some woods I avoid those)

The solvents and water not only soften the glue, but allow the cloth to be peeled off with the glue remaining on it, no scraping or cleaning is due (or very little)

I have MEK at the shop, and I will try that next time ( I am working on site now) I suggest that the mix water plus alcool moves the wood fiber, so the softened glue loose its grip, I made some with only acetone, it was less easy.

I will let you know what my friend used and how old was the piano...

For the PVC E glues I generally find that strong heat works very well, the glue get very soft, but it is not very practical for keys, and I like to keep the wood in its original shape and thickness, when using heat and water the wood thickens (and the keys may warp a little, solvents are advantageous; no need to use sizing cauls, then a little hair dryer to get rid of moisture, and the new cloth can be glued really quick , I guess the complete keyboard took 3-4 hours, but with PVC glue, and not counting the time elapsed while the products where softening the glue)

i used the little Japanese chisel to peel the cloths (sold by Pianotek or Jahnn)

Thank you for you answers, gentlemen

Last edited by Kamin; 11/02/1212:42 PM.

Professional of the profession. Foo Foo specialistI wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!